BENGALURU: The mother of a Class 10 student of a private school in Bharatinagar, attempted to end her life on Monday, after the school allegedly suspended the student and refused to let him continue his studies on campus. A medico-legal case was registered at Bharathinagar Police Station. According to the woman’s nephew Arun Kumar, the boy (name withheld) had been involved in a quarrel with a Class 9 boy, following which the pair decided to settle scores outside the campus.
A physical altercation left both injured, and they were admitted to a hospital. “Sumithra covered the medical expenses incurred by both, but the hospital contacted the school, informing them about the situation. The school, however, decided to take punitive action only against my cousin, and suspended him,” said Arun.
The school refused to budge from this position for over two weeks following the incident, demanding from the family a certificate to clear the student of any previous possible criminal record.
“On our request, a police officer from Bharathinagar Police Station contacted the school authorities and asked them to let my cousin in, stressing that he was a minor with no criminal record,” he alleged.
On Monday, following days of alleged humiliation by the school authorities, Sumithra visited the school, carrying insecticide in her bag. When her efforts to get her son back into class were met with indifference, she excused herself and went to the restroom, and drank the poison. Her husband, who had gone to school with her, found her and rushed her to Bowring Hospital, from where she was shifted to a private hospital on Richmond Road, where she is admitted in the ICU, The school principal was not available for comment.
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